This year, I want you to work smarter, not harder. I want you to be motivated, in a positive frame of mind, and reach all of the goals you have set for yourself this year, and beyond! Here are some tips to help get you there.

13 Smart Ways To Guarantee You’ll Finally Reach Your Goals This Year

1. Write your goals down & look at them every day.

There are distractions all around us, and we are constantly bombarded and interrupted with e-mails, text messages, phone calls, and Facebook messages from friends and family. If you’re not reminding yourself of your goals on a daily basis, you will easily get sidetracked, and end up wasting valuable time. Don’t let that happen to you. This is why vision boards are so great. They keep your goals visible and in front of you all day, every day.

2. Be Specific.

“Lose Weight” or “Make More Money” are not specific goals. Give your goals a specific number when appropriate, and set specific deadlines i.e., “earn an additional $1500 per/month by June”. Then, you can create an action plan on what you need to do each day in order to achieve that goal.

3. Measure and Monitor.

Keep track of your progress. Check on a daily basis what’s working and what’s not working. Adjust as needed.

4. Record where you are right now.

You won’t know how far you’ve come, and how much progress you’ve made, if you have no idea where you started.

5. Give your money a place to go in advance.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. When your money doesn’t have a designated place to go in advance, it usually ends up being squandered. Then you find yourself wondering, “where did all my money go?”. Just ask anyone who’s ever gotten a raise from their job, only to find that they don’t see the difference in their finances.

6. Evaluate your progress on a monthly basis.

This is great to do because, if you’re staying on track, you will see progress every month, which will be a great motivator! If you happen to get off track, you will find out with enough time to get it together, without losing half of the year.

7. Have an accountability partner.

There’s nothing like having someone there to remind you of what your goals are, why you started, and to hold you accountable for following through with that. We all get weak and discouraged sometimes. Have a person, or a group of people that you can count on to help keep you on track.

8. Remember that small progress is still progress.

We all have these great big lofty goals that will take much time, energy, money, and in some cases, a miracle, to make happen. However, no matter what your goals are, you are going to get there, step by step, one day at a time. Every little step you take in the right direction counts. Always celebrate your progress, no matter how small.

9. Get back on track quickly after a hiccup.

Let’s face it, we have good days and bad days, days when we feel like giving up, and days where we’re super motivated. If you have an off day, or an off week, don’t stress yourself or waste time feeling guilty about it. Just get back on track the next day. You’re human, and it’s okay to mess up sometimes.

10. Reward yourself for your progress.

You’re staying on track, you’re making progress, things are going great. Reward Yourself! You deserve it! Just make sure your reward is in line with your goals, and won’t get you off track. Then, enjoy!!

11. Share your goals.

There’s something about speaking what your goals are out loud to other people, that makes them even more real, and makes you feel more accountable. Don’t keep your goals to yourself. Tell someone. Actually, tell a few people! The external pressure to follow through, and the encouragement from your friends, family, and colleagues, will be just the motivation you need to stay focused.

12. Share your progress.

Along the lines of rewarding yourself for your progress, be sure to tell your accountability partner, and your friends and family how you’re doing. Their excitement and support will fuel you to work even harder towards your goals!

13. Stay Positive.

This is a MUST!! Your thoughts create your life, so always focus on the positive, no matter what your situation may be. Find something positive in every situation, and always focus on all of the things that you have to be thankful for in your life. Positivity breeds positivity, so get that positive momentum going every day, as you pursue your goals and dreams.

What else would you add to this list? I’d love for you to share your thoughts with me in the comments below. Then, I can be one of your accountability partners to help you reach your goals!

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